Trade & FA 2024-25:

[SkenfromLMF]

Hmmm...I like that idea, too. Could you or Mr. Gump remind us why that's not possible? I'm pretty good at following those conversations, but I'm getting worse at maintaining a memorized working knowledge of those issues, unfortunately.

John Collins makes $26.58 MIL which is MORE than any 2 contracts not in the starting 5. Maxi + Gafford is just short of $24.4 MIL and basically 2.2 short, with a reminder that the Mavs are up against the hard cap ($.75 - 1.75 MIL depending on sources). Any 3rd player aggregated would need to clear another approximately 2 million, for a VETMIN FA to get the roster back to 14. So, to get Collins Dallas would need to aggregate 3 contracts totaling ~ $28.6 million. Gafford, Maxi, Powell gets to roughly $28.4.

As much as I like the idea of Collins (as in not playing against him on a competitor) it will likely have to be accomplished over the summer when there is more time to operate with roster and salaries maneuvers.

[F Gump]

Hmmm...I like that idea, too. Could you or Mr. Gump remind us why that's not possible? I'm pretty good at following those conversations, but I'm getting worse at maintaining a memorized working knowledge of those issues, unfortunately.

I assume the trade in question is Maxi-Gafford for Collins.

Let me preface these comments with a note about roster size. The NBA max is 15, and minimum is 14. In theory they would not have to refill that last slot in that 2-for-1 trade. BUT they are already working a man short, because they don't use Morris as a player. Would they really consider only having 13? In addition, it appears to me that Nico consistently game-plans for having all the NBA bodies they can have. So I end up thinking that if they do a trade, we have to expect they will game-plan to end up with a full roster, which means there has to be enough room under the hard cap for those salaries.

As a result, in playing with trades, when the Mavs send out more bodies than they get back, we need to add a minimum salary into those empty slots (and all minimums for hard cap math except rookie or 2nd year SRP's are about $2.1M for the full season.)

That is relevant because the Mavs are hard-capped at Apron 1 (can't go over that number by even a penny for even one minute) and currently only about 0.5M under the line.

"Could you or Mr. Gump remind us why that trade is not possible? "--- Short answer is: Because of that hard cap, Mavs generally have to send away as much or more salary than they get back, and just the basic trade is Mavs sending out 24.4 and getting back 26.5. Fail. 

More details: If they plan to fill that newly empty roster slot, the shortfall gets even greater. And if you add another player onto the outgoing pile to try to cover that shortage, then you also need room to fill another empty salary slot.

In theory, you can put enough bodies together to make the math work, but it gets more and more far-fetched with a more complex trade.

On the non-math end of things: here you might have even more issues. Do you make your roster thin as tissue paper, by the sheer lack of numbers? And what is the likelihood of having a player to fill an empty slot who is of any real value, since your shopping list consists of free agents without a job this time of year? And on a player like Collins - what is this going to do to your team harmony, where your backup C/PF is getting 26M but your starters at C and PF who are better and more important both make far less? I think that is a bigger obstacle than anyone realizes (and probably a deal-killer by itself).

[SleepingHero]

@esidery
Source: The Suns and Hornets have held preliminary trade discussions that would send Jusuf Nurkic and second-round picks for Nick Richards.

Phoenix has removed Nurkic from the rotation as they seek a trade.

Charlotte would send another player alongside Richards in the deal.

[SleepingHero]

@esidery
Source: The Suns and Hornets have held preliminary trade discussions that would send Jusuf Nurkic and second-round picks for Nick Richards.

Phoenix has removed Nurkic from the rotation as they seek a trade.

Charlotte would send another player alongside Richards in the deal.

John Gambadoro
@Gambo987
Suns like Richards he's athletic with a good contract. Not sure Charlotte would take back Nurkic, but I do believe the two sides are working on this - There is a way to make it happen but it's not a sure thing.

[Jym]

@esidery
Source: The Suns and Hornets have held preliminary trade discussions that would send Jusuf Nurkic and second-round picks for Nick Richards.

Phoenix has removed Nurkic from the rotation as they seek a trade.

Charlotte would send another player alongside Richards in the deal.

Ayton isn't great but I'm so glad they stupidly got rid of him

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://x.com/esidery/status/1878573860729028939


Memphis strong suitors for Cam Johnson?

[SkenfromLMF]

Full Disclosure... I would like the Mavs to get into an attempt to keep PHX from getting Nick Richards.
I might have an affinity for Charlotte forwards, and I would even consider that brought back (cough Grant cough, Williams cough, cough).

But a deal that sent out Maxi and Exum could net you Richards and about 9 million in returning salary. What kind of tip does Charlotte want for that type of deal?
Would you trade the first for a Charlotte 2nd to make that move OR would they settle for pick swaps?

[mvossman]

Full Disclosure... I would like the Mavs to get into an attempt to keep PHX from getting Nick Richards.
I might have an affinity for Charlotte forwards, and I would even consider that brought back (cough Grant cough, Williams cough, cough).

But a deal that sent out Maxi and Exum could net you Richards and about 9 million in returning salary. What kind of tip does Charlotte want for that type of deal?
Would you trade the first for a Charlotte 2nd to make that move OR would they settle for pick swaps?

I'm confused.  Nick is a center.  Do we need another center?

I think part of the issue with Williams (outside of bad fit) was personality conflict.  I'm guessing Mavs have no interest there.

[SkenfromLMF]

I'm confused.  Nick is a center.  Do we need another center?

I think part of the issue with Williams (outside of bad fit) was personality conflict.  I'm guessing Mavs have no interest there.

IMO the need is a 3rd C AND a backup PF. I don't think Maxi is truly capable of filling either role exclusively. Maxi gets exposed as a 4 and at times as an undersized 5. His value was as a hybrid, and now he does neither well enough to have that value. I have been a Maxi guy, and I am still rooting for him, but to continue with him as a vital (2-piece) part of this rotation might be criminal to the career trajectories of several key pieces of this team.

[mvossman]

IMO the need is a 3rd C AND a backup PF. I don't think Maxi is truly capable of filling either role exclusively. Maxi gets exposed as a 4 and at times as an undersized 5. His value was as a hybrid, and now he does neither well enough to have that value. I have been a Maxi guy, and I am still rooting for him, but to continue with him as a vital (2-piece) part of this rotation might be criminal to the career trajectories of several key pieces of this team.

Do we need a third C?  Even if you take Maxi out of the mix, Powell is perfectly fine as a third C (I fall into the camp that thinks most of the hate he gets around here is unwarranted).  

I share you views on Maxi, both as a big fan and as someone who is concerned he can no longer be counted on even when healthy, especially at the 4.  But in my mind backup 4 is the only hole on the roster that we need to fill.

[SkenfromLMF]

Right now Powell is your 4th C...
The question to ask is IF you upgraded Maxi as the 3rd C, would you then be comfortable with OMax only playing the 4? I don't know that answer as yet. Would you be willing to roll out a guy like Saddiq Bey as the backup 4??

[KillerLeft]

Right now Powell is your 4th C... 

...and would probably be the best 3rd center in the league. I don't see a problem there.

[mvossman]

Right now Powell is your 4th C...
The question to ask is IF you upgraded Maxi as the 3rd C, would you then be comfortable with OMax only playing the 4? I don't know that answer as yet. Would you be willing to roll out a guy like Saddiq Bey as the backup 4??

Right now I think our best option at the 4 (when everyone is healthy) is PJ/Naji/Luka.  Its a little undersized, but that is putting our best players on the court.   

The real issue is that those three have missed a ton of games collectively.  Omax is not ready and Maxi is a disaster at the 4 in his current offensive funk.  Bey doesn't really address the lack of size.  What I think we need is a player that can backup both the 4 and 5.  That makes the most sense with Maxi going out, but that will be easier to do in the offseason when Maxi is an expiring.  Something like Maxi + Hardy + first for Obi Toppin like Dan suggested could make some sense.  I would probably prefer someone a little more defensive oriented, but that is the kind of move I would be looking for.  I'm just not sure it gets done at TDL, in which case we need those three to be healthy, or Omax to make a big jump, or Maxi to pull out of his funk.

[SleepingHero]

I'm confused.  Nick is a center.  Do we need another center?

I think part of the issue with Williams (outside of bad fit) was personality conflict.  I'm guessing Mavs have no interest there.

Yeah I don't see the Grant Williams angle. He pretty quickly flamed out in the locker room by all accounts. Also he tore his ACL back in December and is out for the year so I don't think the Mavs would be interested in him anyhow.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Ya, not understanding the discussion for a C. We're golden at C, PG, and SG. No need there.

What we need is a Maxi replacement. I can't see a better option than Obi.

[Mavs2021]

Ya, not understanding the discussion for a C.  We're golden at C, PG, and SG.  No need there.

What we need is a Maxi replacement.  I can't see a better option than Obi.

Jalen Smith. He can play Gafford´s role, too.

We need to cut one towel waiver next year. Morris/Powell is overkill that hurts us further with this Kleber problem.

Also not giving up a 1st for Toppin. That´s crazy talk.

[SkenfromLMF]

Ya, not understanding the discussion for a C. We're golden at C, PG, and SG. No need there.

What we need is a Maxi replacement. I can't see a better option than Obi.

How do you propose to acquire Obi? I am not convinced that Indiana is really motivated to move him... certainly not for any package Dallas is attempting to cobble together.

Would we not give any consideration that having a viable option for always having 2 bigs on the court would let Lively play some 4?
IMO that is where the problem with Powell as the 3rd C really is.

[Chicagojk]

I don’t particularly see Obi as the right fitting part. I also think he may be too high of a target for now. So I would probably be looking at lesser tier players who wouldn’t include a first round pick. Unless PJ got hurt prior to the trade deadline

If Mavs come up short this year, I expect them to be very aggressive this offseason. Backup PF/c would be one of the targets imo.

[KillerLeft]

How do you propose to acquire Obi? I am not convinced that Indiana is really motivated to move him... certainly not for any package Dallas is attempting to cobble together.

Would we not give any consideration that having a viable option for always having 2 bigs on the court would let Lively play some 4?
IMO that is where the problem with Powell as the 3rd C really is.

Agree with your point regarding Toppin. I don't think he's a trade fit for Dallas at all. A roster fit, sure, but not a trade fit, at least for what they'd be willing to give up, as you say. 

But, I'm not following your second point at all. Are you suggesting that Lively playing some 4 would be good, or should be some sort of desirable goal? If so, I couldn't disagree more. I think they'll need to get faster in the playoffs, not slower.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Maxi/Hardy works for Obi.

Now you can argue if IND is hip for that.... Mathurin is a disappointment. IMO it depends on Rick's love for Maxi and how Hardy is seen in the organization.

Obi is the perfect fit, with his 3pt shooting improving so much last year. One of the biggest holes in this roster is athleticism. Obi upgrades Maxi and gives us a stud athlete within the 8 man rotation.